Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Australian Books of 2023

On January 24, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, List4 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants were supposed to list the top books they meant to read in 2023 but didn’t get a chance to, however, I am going to an alternate list today. The reason for this, and the reason I delayed putting this list up by a day, is because Friday, 26 January, is Australia’s national holiday, Australia Day. While Australia Day is getting a lot more controversial due to its historic implications, I like to look beyond that and focus on some of the amazing and varied talents our nation produces. As such, I thought I would take this opportunity to once again highlight some of the top pieces of fiction written by Australian authors that I read in 2023.

Each year, a ton of talented Australian authors produce an impressive and exciting range of fiction from across the genres, many of which I am lucky enough to get copies of from my local publishers. Due to this, I tend to read and review a lot of novels by Australian authors, most of which turn out to be some outstanding reads that I deeply enjoy. As such, for the last few years I have taken to highlighting my favourite pieces of Australian fiction (check out my 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 lists). I really love how much awesome Australian fiction there is each year, and this list is the perfect way to highlight some of the best Australian authors.

Now I tend to take a bit of a different approach to Australian fiction than some other bloggers, as I highlight all books written by Australian authors rather than novels purely set in Australia or featuring Australian characters. To qualify for this list, a novel had to be released in 2023 and be written by an Australian author, which I am defining as anyone born in Australia or who currently lives here (Australia is very good at adopting talented people as our own). This resulted in a long list, including several novels that I considered to be some of the best reads of last year. I was eventually able to whittle this novel down to the absolute cream of the crop and came up with a fantastic top ten list (with my typical generous honourable mentions). I really enjoyed how this list turned out, especially as it features novels from a range of different genres, all of which were very awesome Australian books.

Honourable Mentions:

He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan

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An interesting historical fiction/fantasy hybrid from a rising Australian author, Shelley Parker-Chan. He Who Drown the World was the exciting sequel to the author’s debut, She Who Became the Sun, and it featured a unique and memorable adventure.

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Judgement Day by Mali Waugh

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An impressive debut from an outstanding Australian talent, that saw a damaged cop investigate the murder of a prominent judge.

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The Paris Agent by Kelly Rimmer

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A gripping World War II historical drama from one of Australia’s top authors of the genre, Kelly Rimmer, who previously wowed me with The Warsaw Orphan and The German Wife. The Paris Agent had an outstanding plot that followed doomed female spies dropped into occupied France.

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How to Kill a Client by Joanna Jenkins

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How to Kill a Client was an amazing and dark legal thriller that followed members of a prominent legal firm who become suspects in a clients death. One of the most entertaining debuts of 2023.

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Top Ten List:

The Will of the Many by James Islington

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The first book I must highlight is the outstanding and epic fantasy novel, The Will of the Many by James Islington. The Will of the Many was an amazing book that topped all my best-of lists last year, including my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023 lists. Set in a great new fantasy world, The Will of the Many follows an exile who infiltrates an elite academy to uncover deadly secrets and find out ways to fight against the nation who stole his home. An exceptionally addictive read, The Will of the Many is so damn good, and I was extremely impressed by my first book by Islington.

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Everyone on this Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson

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The always hilarious Benjamin Stevenson followed up his outstanding 2022 novel, Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone, with this fantastic and brilliant murder mystery. Set on the legendary Australian train, the Ghan, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect is an intriguing and comedic take on the murder mystery genre, as the main suspects to the murder are all crime fiction authors. Funny, smart and featuring homages to various crime fiction sub-genres and classic novels, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect was extremely awesome and I loved getting through it.

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Mr Einstein’s Secretary by Matthew Reilly

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One of Australia’s most recognisable authors, Matthew Reilly, had an amazing year in 2023 with Mr Einstein’s Secretary. Following a fantastic protagonist through some of the most important historical events of the first half of the 20^th century, Mr Einstein’s Secretary was a powerful, character-driven story, loaded with action, espionage, and captivating historical detail. An extremely impressive novel that I managed to knock off in a very, very short amount of time.

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Ripper by Shelley Burr

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Shelley Burr produced an awesome sequel to her debut novel, Wake, with the outstanding read Ripper. Set in a town made infamous for a deadly serial killer years ago, Ripper follows a new investigation when a body is found in the same spot as one of the original victims. A twisty and captivating novel that has some great connections to Burr’s previous book.

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Killer Traitor Spy by Tim Ayliffe

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Tim Ayliffe brings back his rugged journalist protagonist for another dark Australian thriller in Killer Traitor Spy. This time examining the impacts of foreign influence and espionage, Killer Traitor Spy was a brilliant read that makes great use of real-life concerns to contemporary Australia.

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Never a Hero by Vanessa Len

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After wowing me in 2022 with her impressive debut, the young adult fantasy novel Only a Monster, Australian author Vanessa Len produced an excellent sequel last year with Never a Hero. An intense novel that cleverly makes use of the alternate timeline established at the end of the first book, Never a Hero was an exceptional sequel from a very talented author.

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Kill Your Husbands by Jack Heath

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One of my absolute favourite Australian authors, Jack Heath, had another incredible year in 2023 with the amazing book Kill Your Husbands. An intriguing novel that sees three couples in an isolated cabin all become murder suspects after an attempt at partner-swapping goes terribly wrong. I love the unique and drama inducing plot of Kill Your Husbands, especially as it also served as a sequel to one of Heath’s previous novels, Kill Your Brother. This was such a great read, and I really enjoyed the complex mystery Heath came up with.

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Vendetta by Sarah Barrie

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Sarah Barrie continued her dark and deadly Lexi Winter series in a big way last year with the exceptional novel Vendetta. Following on from her previous books, Unforgiven and Retribution, Vendetta sees Barrie’s maverick protagonist infiltrate a deadly bikie gang she has history with, all while a vengeful killer seeks to blow everyone up. This was one of Barrie’s best books yet, and I had an outstanding time getting through Vendetta.

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Fire with Fire by Candice Fox

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Candice Fox continued to dominate the crime fiction market with the impressive 2023 thriller, Fire with Fire. Following several different protagonists as they try to save vital evidence being held hostage by two desperate parents, Fire with Fire had an amazing story and I loved how it turned out. Another amazing book from Fox, who has several fantastic novels coming out in 2024.

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Dark Corners by Megan Goldin

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The final book on this list is the impressive 2023 novel from one of Australia’s fastest rising crime fiction authors, Megan Goldin. Her latest book, Dark Corners, serves as a sequel to her previous novel The Night Swim, and sees the author’s podcasting protagonist join the hunt for a deadly killer stalking an influencer convention. Featuring both an intense mystery and an entertaining look at the current obsession with influencers and social media, Dark Corners was another great book from Goldin that comes highly recommended.

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Well, that is the end of this latest list and I am really happy that I got a chance to highlight some of the best Australian releases of 2023. The above books represent an outstanding collection of fiction from talented Australian authors, and each of them comes highly recommended by me. I had a lot of fun coming up with this list and I cannot wait to find out what the best Australian books of 2024 are going to be. Until then, stay tuned for more epic reviews and lists, and make sure you let me know who your favourite Australian authors are in the comments below.

Canberra Weekly – Australian Authors – 13 July 2023

On August 14, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Canberra Weekly ColumnLeave a comment

Canberra Weekly Column - Australian Authors - 13 July 2023

Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 13 July 2023.

Make sure to also check out my extended reviews for Killer Traitor Spy, The Paris Agent and The Interpreter.

Quick Review – The Paris Agent by Kelly Rimmer

On August 14, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Drama, Historical Fiction2 Comments

The Paris Agent Cover

Publisher: Hachette Australia (Trade Paperback – 28 June 2023)

Series: Standalone

Length: 337 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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One of Australia’s premier authors of historical fiction, the supremely talented Kelly Rimmer, returns with another moving and intense novel that dives into the horrors of World War II, The Paris Agent.

Over the last couple of years, I have been deeply impressed with the works of Kelly Rimmer, a well-established Australian author whose previous novels have been excellent historical dramas set during the Second World War. Rimmer’s books are pretty spectacular, as they masterfully blend powerful personal stories with intense depictions of key parts of the war, especially those involving the evils of the Nazi regime. Her last two books, The Warsaw Orphan (one of my favourite Australian books of 2021) and The German Wife (one of my favourite books and Australian books of 2022), were exceedingly moving, and I now make it a point to grab her new books each year. Her latest novel, The Paris Agent, presented the reader with an interesting new story, one that focuses on female espionage agents in occupied France.

Plot Synopsis:

Two otherwise ordinary women become spies in WWII France in this sweeping new novel of historical suspense by New York Times bestselling author Kelly Rimmer

Twenty-five years after the end of the war, ageing British SOE operative Noah Ainsworth is reflecting on the secret agent who saved his life when a mission went wrong during his perilous, exhilarating years in occupied France. He never knew her real name, nor whether she survived the war.

His daughter Charlotte begins a search for answers. What follows is the story of Fleur and Chloe, two otherwise ordinary women who in 1943 are called up by the SOE for deployment in France. Taking enormous risks with very little information or resources, the women have no idea they’re at the mercy of a double agent within their ranks who’s causing chaos.

As Charlotte’s search for answers continues, new suspicions are raised about the identity of the double agent, with unsettling clues pointing to her father.

This was another powerful and clever novel from Rimmer, who takes on another aspect of World War II and weaves together an outstanding story. The focus on Allied female spies being dropped into occupied France is a well-established and highly utilised topic in historical fiction and historical dramas, and Rimmer manages to produce a very distinctive read in The Paris Agent that I found very hard to put down.

To tell her story, Rimmer utilises an excellent multi-perspective narrative, with some interesting time differences also added in for each of the timelines. The first timeline, shown from the perspective of Charlotte, is set in 1970, and follows the protagonist’s attempts to find out more about her amnesic father’s activities during the war after she finds out he was a spy in France. The other two storylines focus on the characters of Fleur and Chloe respectively. Both characters were dropped into France at different points of the war to do their own specific missions, including committing sabotage and investigating reports that the local network had been compromised. These two past storylines are set across a couple of years in the war, with the two protagonists interacting with each other, and Chloe’s father, Noah, at various points, and together the three storylines wrap together to provide a complex and powerful narrative of espionage, personal relationships, and betrayal, all set in front of the brutal Nazi occupation of France.

All three stories are brought together throughout the course of The Paris Agent, and I liked the complex and intriguing narrative threads that emerged. The risks and sacrifices of the characters during the war are pretty intense, and the emotional connections that they make bring a compelling balance to the dark story elements of espionage and betrayal. The third storyline that focuses on Charlotte and her father is also very good, both on its own and for how it supports and enhances the other two plot lines. This more modern storyline gives some great hints at the tragedy to come in the other storylines, while also underlying further the cost that these intelligence agents had to make. The intriguing hints that Noah might have been a traitor responsible for terrible events is very compelling, and it is fascinating to see the impact that the war was still having on survivors like him.

The two storylines in the past eventually come together in the last quarter of the novel, and some of the compelling twists that come from this are moving and dark. The identity of the traitor, while not overly surprising, does have some major emotional heft to it, and you can’t help to despise the antagonist, especially as Charlotte’s storyline serves to underline all the terrible things they did. Both the Fleur and Chloe storylines end on a very tragic, if inspiring, note, and readers will come away from that exceedingly saddened but impressed by how well written these storylines were. I did think that the ending of the Charlotte storyline was a little weaker, mainly because it relied on a little too much on coincidence, and I think that the author left some intriguing story opportunities closed. Still, I really appreciated how cleanly and powerfully these three separate storylines came together, and it resulted in an overall exceptional read.

Rimmer utilises some intriguing writing elements to ensure her story is extra impactful. As I mentioned before, the use of multiple character perspectives and timelines was a major part of this book, and I was mostly happy with how that turned out. I must admit that I am not the biggest fan of historical novels that features a storyline where someone in the present day attempts to uncover family secrets, as frankly it is bit of a cliché at this point. However, I think that Rimmer did a good job here, as it was set far closer to the war, and the family secrets that the protagonist is trying to uncover are the result of amnesia, which is well balanced by the potential spy aspect. The rest of the story flows through extremely well as a result, and I loved how cleverly the separate wartime storylines interacted and enhanced each other, especially when it came to Noah’s connected story and the examination of the potential treachery.

However, one of the best things about The Paris Agent for me was the outstanding and deep portrayals of the Nazi occupation of France and the espionage efforts the Allies utilised in response. Rimmer always excels at diving into some of the darkest and most intriguing parts of World War II history, and The Paris Agent was another great example of this. The author provides some intriguing examinations of how the Nazis controlled France during the war, and Rimmer tries to showcase the occupation from several different sets of eyes in various French settings. However, the real focus of the book is on the intelligence networks that the Allies set up in France during the war and the missions they engaged in. This compelling part of the war is always rich ground for historical fiction authors, and I think that Rimmer’s take on it was particularly noteworthy. She really captures the intensity and dedication that these agents had, as well as the constant risk that they found themselves in. The focus and portrayal of tradecraft, intelligence gathering, and communication was very realistic, and I cannot emphasise how well each of the major spy protagonists were developed and featured throughout the book. Of course, as this is a Rimmer book, The Paris Agent does get very dark in places, mainly when it comes to the fate of captured spies and intelligence agents. Rimmer pulls no punches when it comes to how badly these prisoners were treated, nor when it comes to the terrible fates they experienced. The fact that many of the characters are based on real historical people makes parts of the book hit even harder, and you really won’t come away from The Paris Agent without a tear in your eye.

Kelly Rimmer continues to showcase why she is one of Australia’s best writers of intense and moving historical fiction. The Paris Agent was an excellent piece of historical drama that features a powerful and compelling story about spies, tragedy and betrayal. Cleverly written and guaranteed to stick with you long after you’ve finished reading it, The Paris Agent is an outstanding and highly recommend book that I am really glad I got to experience.

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WWW Wednesday – 12 July 2023

On July 13, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

Kill For Me Kill For You by Steve Cavanagh (Trade Paperback)

Kill For Me Kill For You Cover

I just started reading the cool thriller Kill For Me Kill For You by Steven Cavanagh. I am a big fan of Cavanagh’s Eddie Flynn series (The Devil’s Advocate and The Accomplice) and this new novel is an intriguing take on the classic Strangers on a Train storyline, that sees two women team up to kill the people who destroyed their lives. I am about 50 pages into this book at the moment and I am already pretty damn hooked and cannot wait to see how Kill For Me Kill For You turns out.

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What did you recently finish reading?

The Paris Agent by Kelly Rimmer (Trade Paperback)

The Paris Agent Cover

I managed to finish off the new historical drama from Australian author Kelly Rimmer, The Paris Agent this week. Following an aging spy’s dive into the past as he attempts to find out who saved his life during an SOE operation in Nazi occupied France, The Paris Agent was a powerful and compelling novel that proved to be an excellent and captivating read.

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Warhammer 40,000: Leviathan by Darius Hinks (Audiobook)

Warhammer 40,000 - Leviathan Cover

I also managed to finish off one of the latest Warhammer 40,000 audiobooks, Leviathan by Darius Hinks. Featuring an intriguing, mind-bending story about an alien invasion, Leviathan was extremely intense and compelling with a very unique narrative. This ended up being a pretty awesome read and I had a brilliant time getting through it.

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The Hunger by Marsheila Rockwell

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I quickly powered through the cool upcoming Marvel Comics tie-in novel, The Hunger by Marsheila Rockwell this week. Set during the Marvel Zombies storyline, The Hunger was a very fun novel that will appeal to all lovers of Marvel Comics and zombies.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Fractal Noise by Christopher Paolini

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I am hoping to read the new science fiction novel from Christopher Paolini, Fractal Noise next. A prequel to his previous novel, To Sleep In A Sea of Stars, Fractal Noise looks set to be a compelling space exploration novel and I am very curious to see how it turns out.

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The Drowning Girls by Veronica Lando

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I am also hoping to start reading the fantastic Australian crime fiction novel, The Drowning Girls by Veronica Lando, this week. A compelling crime fiction novel set in a small Australian town where someone appears to be sacrificing women in the waves, this should be a pretty amazing read and I am excited to check it out.

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Warhammer 40,000: King of the Spoil by Jonathan D. Beer

The King of the Spoil Cover

I am still hoping to start listening to the audiobook version of the new Warhammer Crime novel, King of the Spoil next. Sent in a grim, crime-ridden mega city, King of the Spoil sounds like a ton of fun and I always love it when they combine intense crime fiction elements with the awesome Warhammer 40,000 universe.

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That’s it for this week, check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.

WWW Wednesday – 5 July 2023

On July 5, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

The Paris Agent by Kelly Rimmer (Trade Paperback)

The Paris Agent Cover

I just started reading the new historical drama from Australian author Kelly Rimmer, The Paris Agent. Following an aging spy’s dive into the past as he attempts to find out who saved his life during an SOE operation in Nazi occupied France, The Paris Agent is a powerful and compelling novel that I am really sinking my teeth into. This book has a very strong start, and I cannot wait to see how the entire story develops.

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Warhammer 40,000: Leviathan by Darius Hinks (Audiobook)

Warhammer 40,000 - Leviathan Cover

I have been making a bit of progress with one of the latest Warhammer 40,000 audiobooks, Leviathan by Darius Hinks. Featuring an intriguing, mind-bending story about an alien invasion, Leviathan has been quite compelling so far and I am enjoying Hink’s unique narrative. I am very curious to see how this story unfolds and it should prove to be a very exciting read.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Her Sweet Revenge by Sarah Bonner (Trade Paperback)

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An excellent and powerful thriller, loaded with twists and turns, this is an outstanding novel that is really worth checking out.

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The Will of the Many by James Islington (Audiobook)

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An exceptional fantasy novel that got a full five-star rating from me. Easily one of the best books from the first half of 2023.

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Killer Traitor Spy by Tim Ayliffe

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A gripping and insightful thriller that cleverly examined espionage and political murders in Australia.

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The Interpreter by Brooke Robinson

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A fantastic debut from an awesome new Australia author.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

The Hunger by Marsheila Rockwell

The Hunger Cover

I am hoping to dive into the cool upcoming Marvel Comics tie-in novel, The Hunger by Marsheila Rockwell in the next week. Set during the Marvel Zombies storyline, The Hunger sounds like an intense and fun novel that will appeal to my love of Marvel Comics and zombies.

Amazon

Warhammer 40,000: King of the Spoil by Jonathan D. Beer

The King of the Spoil Cover

I am also hoping to start listening to the audiobook version of the new Warhammer Crime novel, King of the Spoil. Sent in a grim, crime-ridden mega city, King of the Spoil sounds like a ton of fun and I always love it when they combine intense crime fiction elements with the awesome Warhammer 40,000 universe.

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That’s it for this week, check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.

Book Haul – 25 June 2023

On June 25, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Book Haul1 Comment

I have been having an excellent couple of weeks for book, as I have been lucky enough to receive several incredible and amazing new novels from some of my local publishers and from Netgalley. These novels include some truly awesome new releases, including some books that have the potential to be the top novels of 2023. I am extremely keen to check out all of the books below and they should make for some amazing reads.

Starter Villain by John Scalzi

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First up, I was very happy to receive a copy of the upcoming John Scalzi novel, Starter Villain. Scalzi has been killing it with his brilliant and satirical novels recently, including Redshirts and The Kaiju Preservation Society, and this new book sounds pretty damn cool. Following someone who inherits a supervillain business and all the problems that entails, Starter Villain sounds like a ton of fun and I cannot wait to check it out.

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Traitors Gate by Jeffrey Archer

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I was also very happy to receive a copy of the new Jeffery Archer book, Traitors Gate. The sixth book in Archer’s Willaim Warwick series, Traitors Gate will see the protagonists of the series attempt to stop an attempted heist of the Crown Jewels. This series is always a ton of fun to read (see my reviews for Nothing Ventured, Hidden in Plain Sight and Turn a Blind Eye) and this sounds like an awesome and compelling new plot.

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Fearless by M. W. Craven

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The next book I’ve recently received is the fantastic sounding new thriller from M. W. Craven, Fearless. Following an elite government agent turned drifter who is dragged back into action when someone tries to hunt him down. Fearless has a ton of potential and should turn out to be an amazing thrill ride that I know I am going to really enjoy.

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The Paris Agent by Kelly Rimmer

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I was very, very happy to receive a copy of the new novel from Australian author Kelly Rimmer, The Paris Agent. Rimmer has been on fire the last few years, producing some of the best historical drama novels out there, including The Warsaw Orphan (one of my favourite Australian books of 2021) and The German Wife (one of my favourite books of 2022). This latest novel from Rimmer is also set during World War II and will look at the always dependable topic of female spies sent into Nazi occupied France. I know that Rimmer is going to produce another intense and hard-hitting novel with The Paris Agent and I am very keen to see what happens here.

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Never a Hero by Vanessa Len

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Vanessa Len will follow up her exceptional 2022 debut, Only a Monster, with the exciting new upcoming release, Never a Hero. Only a Monster was a brilliant young adult fantasy novel that saw a young woman find out that she was a literal monster with time travel abilities and was forced into a desperate adventure for her own survival. I had a lot of fun with Only a Monster (one of my favourite debuts and Australian novels of 2022) and I cannot wait to see how Len follows it up with Never a Hero.

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The Hunger by Marsheila Rockwell

The Hunger Cover

Ok, I will admit that I mostly requested a copy of this book because of the cover. The Hunger is an awesome upcoming Marvel Comics tie-in novel set in the Marvel Zombies universe. Written by Marsheila Rockwell, this cool novel will see an eclectic group of heroes attempt to stop the zombie apocalypse, only to cause far bigger issues with their meddling. This novel sounds like it is going to be so damn amazing and I am very excited to read it.

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The Berlin Traitor by A. W. Hammond

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A compelling thriller set in post-war Berlin, The Berlin Traitor is a great new novel from A. W. Hammond and I look forward to trying something from this author.

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Altered Sense by Max Jeffries

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The final book I received a copy of was the interesting Australian thriller, Altered Sense by Max Jeffries. Following a man who starts to receive dark visions after a blow to the head, Altered Sense looks to be a quick and exciting novel and I hope I get the chance to read it.

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Well, that’s the end of this latest Book Haul post. As you can see I have quite a bit of reading to do at the moment thanks to all these awesome books that have come in. Let me know which of the above you are most interested in and make sure to check back in a few weeks to see my reviews of them.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Australian Books of 2022

On January 25, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, List18 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants were supposed to list their top new-to-me authors that they read in 2022, however, I am going to do something differently here at The Unseen Library. I already completed and published this list last week as I knew in advance that I would be doing an alternate list today. The reason for this, and the reason I delayed putting this list up by a day, is because tomorrow, 26 January, is Australia Day, so I thought I would take this opportunity to once again highlight some of the top pieces of fiction written by Australian authors that I read in 2022.

Each year, a ton of talented Australian authors produce an impressive and exciting range of fiction from across the various genres, many of which I am lucky enough to get copies of from the local publishers. I tend to read and review a lot of novels by Australian authors, most of which turn out to be some outstanding reads that I deeply enjoy. As such, for the last few years on Australia Day I have taken to highlighting my favourite pieces of Australian fiction for the last few years (check out my 2019, 2020 and 2021 lists). I really love how much awesome Australian fiction there is now, and this list is the perfect way to highlight some of the best recent Australian authors.

Now I tend to take a bit of a different approach to Australian fiction than some other bloggers, as I focus on books written by Australian authors rather than novels purely set in Australia or featuring Australian casts. To qualify for this list, a novel had to be released in 2022 and written by an Australian author, which I am defining as anyone born in Australia or who currently lives here (Australia is very good at adopting talented people as our own). This resulted in a long list, including several novels that I considered to be some of the best reads of last year. I was eventually able to whittle this novel down to the absolute cream of the crop and came up with a fantastic top ten list (with my typical generous honourable mentions). I really enjoyed how this list turned out, especially as it features novels from a range of different genres, all of which were very awesome Australian books.

Honourable Mentions:

Retribution by Sarah Barrie

Following on from her brilliant 2021 thriller, Unforgiven, Sarah Barrie continued to impress with her dark and compelling new release, Retribution, which follows an unconventional rookie cop as she takes on the worst of Sydney’s underworld.

Amazon Book Depository

The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan

One of the hottest fantasy debuts of 2022, The Justice of Kings, was written by English expat turned Australian author Richard Swan. An excellent blend of fantasy fiction, political intrigue and crime fiction, The Justice of Kings lives up to its hype and comes highly recommended.

Amazon Book Depository

36 Streets by T. R. Napper

A gripping and truly unique cyberpunk thriller set in futuristic Hanoi, 36 Streets is a great read from an awesome Australian talent.

Amazon Book Depository

The Crimson Thread by Kate Forsyth

Kate Forsyth continued her dominance of the historical drama world with an amazing novel set on Crete during World War II. Providing a compelling examination of the Nazi occupation of Crete while following two Australian soldiers who both fall for the same woman, The Crimson Thread was an outstanding and powerful read that is really worth checking out.

Amazon Book Depository

Top Ten List:

Headcase by Jack Heath

Let’s start this list off with one of the best crime fiction books of 2022, the grizzly and deeply entertaining novel Headcase by the always impressive Jack Heath. Heath is swiftly becoming one of my absolute favourite authors, and his amazing books, Hideout and Kill Your Brother have appeared on my 2020 and 2021 top Australian book lists respectfully. His latest novel, Headcase, might be one of his best and while I still need to write a review for it, it is an exceptional read. Following Heath’s cannibalistic protagonist as he investigates the mysterious death of an apparent Chinese astronaut in the NASA facility in Houston, Headcase is a brilliant and shocking read that is an absolute blast from start to finish. I had so much wicked fun with this book, and it is a very worthy addition to this list.

Amazon Book Depository

Call of Empire by Peter Watt

The latest book from one of my favourite historical fiction authors, Peter Watt, is another easy inclusion on this list as he continues his outstanding Colonial series with Call of Empire. The fifth book in the Colonial series (which has previously featured The Queen’s Colonial, The Queen’s Tiger, The Queen’s Captain and The Colonial’s Son), Call of Empire continues to follow an intriguing Australian family whose members are drafted into several major wars towards the end of the 19^th century. Providing an intriguing view at Australia’s earliest military actions, Call of Empire was another awesome action-adventure novel from Watt that is a ton of fun to read.

Amazon Book Depository

Stay Awake by Megan Goldin

Talented Australian thriller writer Megan Goldin continued to impress in 2022 with another complex and powerful read, Stay Awake. Building on the success of such books as The Escape Room and The Night Swim, Stay Awake featured a unique story of a woman who awakens in New York covered in blood and with no memory of the last two years. Hunted by a killer and unsure of what has happened to her life, the protagonist must uncover who is behind the murders before she falls asleep and loses her memories once again. Clever, powerful and deeply intense, Stay Awake was another exceptional read from Goldin and I cannot wait to read her next book later this year.

Amazon Book Depository

One Foot in the Fade by Luke Arnold

Actor turned fantasy author Luke Arnold returned in 2022 with a particularly awesome urban fantasy novel, One Foot in the Fade. The third book in his Fetch Phillips series, One Foot in the Fade perfectly continues the story started in Arnold’s previous books The Last Smile in Sunder City and Dead Man in a Ditch. Set in a dark fantasy world where all the magic has been destroyed, One Foot in the Fade continues to follow Arnold’s damaged and obsessed protagonist, Fetch Phillips, as he tries to bring back the magic and save the former magical creatures he doomed. Taking the character on a deadly adventure where he battles monsters, greedy humans and his own dark determination, One Foot in the Fade was one of Arnold’s best books yet and I cannot wait to see how he continues to grow as an author.

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The Unbelieved by Vikki Petraitis

Next up we have The Unbelieved by Vikki Petraitis, which was a very easy choice to include on this list. An extremely powerful and captivating read, The Unbelieved follows a tired detective who investigates a series of sexual assaults in a quiet Victorian town, only to come up against sexism, corruption, and a long-established code of silence. Petraitis did something really special with The Unbelieved and I was instantly hooked by its complex story and intense examinations of how sexual crimes are perceived by rural Australians. Not only was this one of the best debuts of 2022, but it also appeared on my top books of 2022 list as well. A highly recommended read from an exceptional new talent.

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The German Wife by Kelly Rimmer

Another book by an Australian author that appeared on my top books of 2022 list was The German Wife by Kelly Rimmer. Rimmer, who deeply impressed me in 2021 with her outstanding novel, The Warsaw Orphan, once again dove into the darkness of Nazi Germany with The German Wife. Following the struggles of a German family transported to America as part of Operation Paperclip, The German Wife explores their complex life, from the prejudice they suffer in America for being former Nazis, to the terrible truth about how their country betrayed them and forced them to become monsters. One of the best historical dramas of 2022, The German Wife is such a great book, and I cannot wait to find out how Rimmer’s next book will break my heart in 2023.

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Wake by Shelley Burr

While there were quite a few good Australian crime debuts in 2022, one of my favourites was the awesome and captivating Wake by Shelley Burr. Set in a dying rural town, Wake sees a private investigator and a damaged survivor attempt to solve an infamous mystery of a missing girl who disappeared from her bedroom years ago without anyone noticing. However, nothing is as it seems, and the characters are dragged through an emotional roller coaster as they attempt to discover the truth. An insanely great debut, Wake was an epic read with a very clever mystery to it.

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Only a Monster by Vanessa Len

Another hot debut of 2022 from an awesome new Australian author was the powerful and complex young adult fantasy book, Only a Monster by Vanessa Len. Following a teen protagonist who discovers she is really a monster who can travel through time, Only a Monster is a powerful and surprisingly dark read which I could not get enough of.

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Daughters of Eve by Nina D. Campbell

Few Australian crime fiction reads of 2022 contained as many shocks and intriguing examinations of gender as Daughters of Eve by debuting author Nina D. Campbell. A series of murders in Sydney quickly turns into a nation-wide crisis once it becomes known that violently abusive men are being killed off by a women’s movement known as the Daughters of Eve. Sharp, fast-paced, and featuring a cynical, if accurate, examination of how men would react in this situation, Daughters of Eve was an outstanding book from an amazing new talent.

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Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

The final Australian book on this list is the very fun and utterly hilarious murder mystery book, Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson. Set at a very hostile family reunion in an isolated Australian ski resort, Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone is clever and addictive homage to classic whodunnits, only this time every suspect is already a killer in some way. Stevenson really taps into his comedy background to produce an amazingly entertaining novel that perfectly combines mystery, humour, and awesome references to the golden age of crime fiction. A masterful novel that perfectly showcases Stevenson’s talents as a rising Australian author.

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Well, that is the end of this latest list and I am really happy that I got a chance to highlight some of the cool Australian releases of 2022. The above books represent an outstanding collection of fiction from talented Australian authors, and each of them comes highly recommended by me. I had a lot of fun coming up with this list and I cannot wait to find out what the best Australian books of 2023 are going to be. Until then, stay tuned for more epic reviews and lists, and make sure you let me know who your favourite Australian authors are in the comments below.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Books of 2022

On December 27, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn List65 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. In this final Top Ten Tuesday for the year, I am going to list my absolute favourite books of 2022, which is something I look forward to every year. This is a bit of a continuation of a series of lists I have been doing over the last month which have highlighted some of the authors and books I have been most impressed with this year, including my favourite audiobooks, favourite debuts and my top pre-2022 books I read this year. However, this list here is the big one as it covers my absolute favourite releases of the year, of which there are quite a few.

I think we can all agree that 2022 has been another roller-coaster year for the world, but thankfully readers got a bit of solace from the fact that this was an amazing year for books, with a huge range of incredible releases coming out across the genres. Not only did several outstanding new series start but we had some exceptional debuts and several incredible trilogies conclude in a big way. I have had an amazing time reading or listening to so many outstanding books this year and quite a few releases have become instant favourites. I must admit that I somewhat struggled to pull this list together, as there were so many books that deserved to be mentioned. Therefore, because I am a very soft touch, and because the quality of the books I read this year was so impressive, I have decided to expand this list out to 20 entries (just like I have the last three years). These 20 books are my absolute favourites from 2022, and I would strongly recommend every one of them to anyone interested in a great read.

To make it onto this list a book needed to be released here in Australia during 2022 and I had to have read it. I have naturally excluded anything I haven’t read yet, even if there were quite a few awesome-sounding books I sadly didn’t squeeze into my reading schedule for this year, although I am sure that several of those would have made the cut. I decided to leave off my usual Honourable Mentions section as the extra 10 entries kind of make it unnecessary. There will be a bit of crossover between the below entries and some of my previous lists. Several novels also appeared on my Top Ten Favourite Audiobooks of 2022 list and my Top Ten Favourite Books from the First Half of 2022 list which I ran back into July. Overall, I am fairly happy with how this Top 20 list turned out and I think it contains a pretty good range of novels that really showcases the different types of books that I chose to read this year. So without further ado, here is the list.

Top Ten List (no particular order):

The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman

The first entry on this list was a real no-brainer with the new Thursday Murder Club novel, The Bullet That Missed by British comedian Richard Osman. The Bullet That Missed follows on from The Thursday Murder Club (one of my favourite books, audiobooks, and debuts of 2020) and The Man Who Died Twice (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021) and might be one of Osman’s best novels yet. Featuring his deeply likeable cast of pensioner crime solvers, The Bullet That Missed introduced another compelling murder investigation, loaded with intrigue, comedy and some deeply human moments. Impossible to put down once you start, The Bullet That Missed was a very easy entry for this list and comes extremely highly recommended.

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A Practical Guide to Conquering the World by K. J. Parker

One of the very first books I read in 2022 was another easy pick for this list with the awesome fantasy comedy novel, A Practical Guide to Conquering the World. The third and final book in K. J. Parker’s loosely connected Siege series, A Practical Guide to Conquering the World is an addictive and wildly funny read that sees a scholar become ruler of a fantasy world through a series of schemes and strange coincidences. Featuring another wildly unreliable narrator, A Practical Guide to Conquering the World is a brilliant continuation of the outrageous tales told in Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City (one of my favourite books of 2019) and How to Rule an Empire and Get Away With It and it is easily one of the most hilarious and cleverest books of the year.

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Usagi Yojimbo: Tengu War! and Usagi Yojimbo: Crossroads by Stan Sakai

Ok, so I am slightly cheating by combining two books into one entry, but when it comes to one of my favourite comic book series, the excellent Usagi Yojimbo comics by Stan Sakai, I have a hard time picking favourites. Usually this isn’t an issue as Sakai generally only releases one volume of his comic a year. However, in 2022, there were two Usagi Yojimbo volumes, the intense and compelling 36^th volume, Tengu War! and the fast-paced 37^th volume Crossroads. Loaded with clever stories, complex characters, and some absolutely gorgeous artwork, both of volumes were extremely good and there was no way I could exclude either from this list.

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Ghazghkull Thraka: Prophet of the Waaagh! by Nate Crowley

2022 was a very, very good year for Warhammer 40,000 fiction and I have had an outstanding time getting through some of the best additions to this delightful extended universe. Out of all this year’s releases, one of the best was Ghazghkull Thraka: Prophet of the Waaagh! by Nate Crowley, which features a unique and hilarious take on an iconic and ultra-destructive ork character. A brilliant story told across multiple narrators (something that really pops in the audiobook format), Crowley featured all the right notes of action, comedy, dark treachery, and a clever examination of one of the game’s most iconic alien factions. I had such an amazing time reading Ghazghkull Thraka: Prophet of the Waaagh!, and this is an absolute must-read for all fans of Warhammer fiction.

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Kagen the Damned by Jonathan Maberry

I doubt anyone is too surprised that the new Jonathan Maberry novel has shown up here. I have featured several of Maberry’s recent releases on previous iterations of this list, although usually they are either horror or science fiction thriller releases, such as Ink, Rage and Relentless, however, in 2022 Maberry made the jump to epic fantasy fiction in a big way with the dark and despair-laden novel, Kagen the Damned. The first book in an epic new series, Kagen the Damned follows a broken and devastated former hero who, after his royal charges are brutally murdered, finds himself damned by the gods. But even hunted and damaged beyond all believe, he is still the deadliest man in the kingdom, and he sets off on a bloody mission of revenge. Intense from the very first scene, Kagen the Damned was an exceptional read that gives you Maberry’s usual serving of blood, traumatised characters and dark deeds, this time in a great new fantasy setting. I deeply enjoyed this exceptional read and I look forward to the next book which is being released very, very soon.

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Desperate Undertaking by Lindsey Davis

The master of the historical mystery, Lindsey Davis, came up with another wonderful entry in her long-running Flavia Albia series this year with Desperate Undertaking. A compelling murder mystery set in ancient Rome, Desperate Undertaking follows intrepid and clever investigator Flavia Albia as she tries to catch a deadly serial killer who stages their kills to mimic iconic scenes from ancient plays. A very entertaining, compelling and dark tale, Desperate Undertaking is one of Davis’s best books yet and I was hooked almost instantly with it.

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The Hunger of the Gods by John Gwynne

I was very excited to read the new fantasy epic from John Gwynne, The Hunger of the Gods, this year, and it was a very worthy addition to this best-of-2022 list. The sequel to last year’s exceptional novel, The Shadow of the Gods, The Hunger of the Gods continues Gwynne’s Norse-inspired fantasy tale, which follows several distinctive protagonists as they embark on multiple epic quests across a war-torn world whose destructive gods are re-awakening. The Hunger of the Gods perfectly continued the amazing story started in the first book, and I once again fell in love with the detailed battles, intriguing dark fantasy world and the brilliant characters. I had such an incredible time with this book and I cannot wait to see how Gwynne continues this awesome story in the future.

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Desert Star by Michael Connelly

I have a very hard time excluding Michael Connelly from this list ever year and 2022 is no exception as I had a fantastic time with his latest book, Desert Star. Once again teaming up two of his best characters, Desert Star was a complex and captivating crime fiction read that featured two great and emotionally charged cases. I loved how this amazing book came together and I was especially impressed with the deeply personal tale Connelly told of his long-running protagonist, Harry Bosch, as he becomes obsessed with solving a murder that has long haunted him. An excellent crime fiction book with a rich, character-driven narrative, Desert Star was an easy choice for this list and I am really intrigued to see what happens with this book’s main characters next.

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Sierra Six by Mark Greaney

Mark Greaney continues to shine with another great entry in his ambitious Gray Man series this year. Following on from impressive reads like The Gray Man, Mission Critical, One Minute Out and Relentless, Sierra Six was another outstanding read that I really got drawn into. Telling a multi-layered story set in both the past and the present, Sierra Six followed protagonist Court Gentry as he attempts to get revenge for one of his first missions with an enemy, he long thought was dead. A tight, captivating read that makes excellent use of multiple timelines, Sierra Six was an amazing read that is highly recommended for all fans of the spy thriller.

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Against All Gods by Miles Cameron

Miles Cameron continues to showcase his writing range in 2022 with another five-star read in Against All Gods. Set in a unique, bronze-age inspired fantasy world were angry gods rule humanity with an iron fist, Against All Gods follows a group of rebel humans who are dragged into a deadly, divine conspiracy by a crazed god of chaos who seeks the end of all her fellow deities. A powerful and captivating read, Against All Gods was so much fun and I look forward to the upcoming sequel.

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Assassinorum: Kingmaker by Robert Rath

The other outstanding Warhammer 40,000 entry I had to include on this list was the incredibly epic Assassinorum: Kingmaker by Robert Rath. This non-stop book follows three elite assassins as they must plot to assassinate a king, bonded to a massive mecha suit, while also ending an insidious conspiracy. Extremely over-the-top, but with a compelling and well thought out narrative, Assassinorum: Kingmaker was a very addictive read that had so many great elements to it, from intense mecha warfare, to some complex and enjoyable characters. An easy five-star read; this was one of the best Warhammer books I have ever read.

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The German Wife by Kelly Rimmer

Last year I was extremely wowed by the deep and captivating historical drama, The Warsaw Orphan by Australian author Kelly Rimmer, which was such an exceptional read. As such, I was very happy to receive a copy of Rimmer’s new book this year, The German Wife, which also blew me away. Another complex historical drama, The German Wife examined the compelling story of the family of a former Nazi rocket scientist who are relocated to America as part of Operation Paperclip. Facing prejudice from their new neighbours who only see them as the enemy, Rimmer reveals the true story behind this troubled family and the various evils they faced during the Nazi reign. Heartbreaking, incredibly touching and a timely examination of the insidiousness of evil, The German Wife was a powerful and poignant book that I had to include on this list.

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In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan

Another amazing and highly addictive fantasy read was In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan. The first book in an intriguing new series centred around glass-based magic, In the Shadow of Lightning was a very compelling read that followed four great characters as they get involved with elaborate conspiracies, deadly politics and a massive war. Near impossible to put down, In the Shadow of Lightning was such an incredible read and I cannot rave about this new series enough.

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The Lawless Land by Boyd and Beth Morrison

One of most entertaining reads of 2022 had to be the very fun historical adventure novel, The Lawless Land, by new-to-me writing duo, Boyd and Beth Morrison. Set in the 14^th century amongst war and plague, The Lawless Land follows a disgraced knight and a runaway bride as they attempt to keep a precious holy relic out of the hands of a corrupt cardinal and a deranged English noble. A continuously exciting and historically detailed book, The Lawless Land really grabbed my attention and I had such an amazing time reading this awesome historical novel. I hope this great writing team present more fantastic books in the future and I look forward to reading them.

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The Martyr by Anthony Ryan

Few books impressed me as much this year as The Martyr, the gripping and action-packed sequel to Anthony Ryan’s 2021 book, The Pariah. Continuing the tale of Alwyn Scribe, a former outlaw who now works for a religious zealot, The Martyr is an elaborate tale of war, politics and fate as Alwyn finds himself amid a deadly war for the future. Filled with some amazing action, including two exceptional sieges, The Martyr was a blast the entire way through, and I had such an incredible time reading it.

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Death of the Black Widow by James Patterson and J. D. Barker

I had so much damn fun this year reading the cool thriller, Death of the Black Widow, written by the superb writing team of James Patterson and J. D. Barker. Following a cop who becomes obsessed with a mysterious woman he meets his first night on the job, Death of the Black Widow sees the protagonist get caught in a decades long investigation to find her and stop the strange deaths that follow her appearance. An excellent and highly exciting thriller that features some clever horror elements, I had a fantastic time reading this amazing read and I just had to include it on this list.

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The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik

After really showcasing her skills in the last two years with her excellent, dark homages to the magical school genre with A Deadly Education and The Last Graduate, Naomi Novik brings her Scholomance trilogy to an incredible end with The Golden Enclaves. Now set outside of the magic school, The Golden Enclaves sees main protagonist, Galadriel “El” Higgins, attempt to save the magic world while also getting over the traumatic cliff-hanger Novik left us on at the end of The Last Graduate. Living up to all its potential, The Golden Enclaves had a fantastic story that perfectly wrapped up the series while hitting the reader with some well-foreshadowed twists and revelations. I cannot wait to see what Novik will write next, but I know I am going to love it.

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Amongst Our Weapons by Ben Aaronovitch

I was very lucky to receive a copy of the latest Rivers of London book by Ben Aaronovitch this year, Amongst Our Weapons, and it quickly became a favourite 2022 read of mine. Seamlessly blending a classic police procedural story with a unique fantasy setting, Amongst Our Weapons sees main character Peter Grant investigate a series of magical murders across London that were apparently committed by an angel. The book’s tight mystery and well-thought-out fantasy elements are expertly combined to produce an exceptional narrative that I had a blast with. An outstanding read that once again shows why Aaronovitch is one of the best urban fantasy writers now.

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The Unbelieved by Vikki Petraitis

There were many amazing debuts in 2022 but one that I found particularly impressive was the gritty Australian crime fiction read, The Unbelieved by Vikki Petraitis. Set in rural Australia, The Unbelieved follows a damaged cop as she attempts to investigate a series of sexual assaults in her seemingly quiet small town, only to run into a wall of silence from the locals. A slick and powerful read that contains a great story, The Unbelieved also served as a commentary on the perception of sexual violence in modern society which really hits you hard. Petraitis really showed herself to be an outstanding new writing talent this year and I am very glad I was able to include The Unbelieved on this list.

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The Voyage of the Forgotten by Nick Martell

The final entry on my list is another slightly cheeky entry, mainly because I haven’t finished it yet. This book is The Voyage of the Forgotten by Nick Martell, one of my most anticipated fantasy reads of 2022 which I only just started listening to last week. The third and final book in Martell’s Legacy of the Mercenary King trilogy, The Voyage of the Forgotten follows on from the exceptional novels, The Kingdom of Liars and The Two-Faced Queen, which introduced and expanded a massively complex and elaborate fantasy tale of betrayal, world-ending plots, magic, and battles between hidden immortals. I had such a great time with the previous two books in the series and I am deeply intrigued to see how Martell wraps everything up in the final book. I am about halfway through The Voyage of the Forgotten and it is proving to be a particularly epic and captivating read that I am having a very hard time putting down, especially as every scene seems to reveal a new secret or answer a question from the previous books. I cannot wait to find out how Martell ends this incredible trilogy and based on how good the first half of this book has been, there was no way I could exclude The Voyage of the Forgotten from this best of 2022 list.

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Well, those are my 20 favourite books of 2022. It turned out to be quite a good list in the end, and I am very glad that I was able to highlight so many fantastic books. 2023 is set to be another excellent year for amazing reads, and I will be examining some of my most anticipated books for the first half of the year next week. In the meantime, let me know what your favourite books of 2022 were in the comments below, and make sure you all have a happy and safe New Years.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Books from the First Half of 2022

On June 28, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn List9 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday involved listing your favourite upcoming books for Winter 2022. However, as I had already done this list a few weeks ago, I thought I would instead take this opportunity to celebrate the fact that we are already nearly into the second half of 2022.

2022 has already proven to be a pretty fantastic year for books, and I have already read some incredible 2022 releases, including impressive standalone books, amazing new entries in established series and fantastic debuts. Because of this, I thought that I would take the time to work out what my top ten favourite books from the first half of 2022 were. To be eligible, a book had to be released in the first half of this year in some form. I have also excluded any books released during this period that I have not so far read, although a couple of releases I have my eye on might have appeared on this list if I had read them in time.

Coming up with this list proved to be a rather bigger task than I originally intended, as I ended up amassing nearly 20 different releases, all of which I consider to be some pretty outstanding reads. I ended up being able to eventually whittle this down to an acceptable Top Ten list, although I did include my typical generous honourable mentions section. I am rather happy with how this list turned out, although I am surprised at some of the great recent books that ended up being excluded. Still, the entries below represent what I considered to be some of the best books from the first half of 2022, and I would strongly recommend each and every one of them.

Honourable Mentions:

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone Cover

A clever and hilarious take on the classic murder mystery story from a talented Australian crime fiction author.

Her Perfect Twin by Sarah Bonner

Her Perfect Twin Cover

An impressive debut by Sarah Bonner that imagines a woman murdering her twin and impersonating her. Featuring a very twisty story that goes in some surprising, but fantastic directions, this was a very awesome read that sets Bonner up as an amazing new talent.

Warhammer 40,000: Steel Tread by Andy Clarke

Steel Tread Cover

A captivating and powerful Warhammer 40,000 tie-in novel from the start of the year that was an excellent piece of sci-fi military fiction. Following the crew of the tank, Steel Tread, on a hellscape of a battlefield, this was an intense and action-packed story that I quickly flew through.

Master of Furies by Raymond E. Feist

Master of Furies Cover

Raymond E. Feist finalised The Firemane Saga (previously featuring King of Ashes and Queen of Storms) in a big way this year. This was a great read that featured an addictive classic fantasy adventure with some very interesting surprise elements.

List (no particular order):

The Hunger of the Gods by John Gwynne

The Hunger of the Gods Cover

Let us start this list off with the book that has the best cover, The Hunger of the Gods by John Gwynne. Following on from Gwynne’s epic 2021 novel, The Shadow of the Gods (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), The Hunger of the Gods perfectly continues the dark fantasy masterpiece, pitting men, gods and monsters against each other in a brutal, Norse-inspired fantasy world. Featuring some outstanding new character perspectives, a bunch of great twists, and a ton of action, this sequel was a worthy addition to this fantastic series, and I had such an incredible time reading it.

Desperate Undertaking by Lindsey Davis

Desperate Undertaking Cover 2

One of my favourite historical fiction authors, Lindsey Davis, continues to shine with her long-running Flavia Albia historical murder mystery series. This latest entry, Desperate Undertaking, features a complex and entertaining new mystery in ancient Rome when a troupe of actors start getting murdered in brutal, theatrical ways. Easily one of Davis’ best stories, Desperate Undertaking grabs your attention right off the bat and refuses to let go.

A Practical Guide to Conquering the World by K. J. Parker

A Practical Guide to Conquering the World Cover

One of the very first novels that I read in 2022 ended up being one of the very best: the hilarious fantasy novel, A Practical Guide to Conquering the World by K. J. Parker. Set in the same universe as his previous connected releases, Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City and How to Rule an Empire and Get Away with It, A Practical Guide to Conquering the World follows a scribe and translator who uses his scholarly knowledge and skills at manipulation to conquer the entire world. Containing whip-sharp satire and a brilliant story, this was such an addictive and fun read I honestly could not put down.

Usagi Yojimbo: Tengu War! by Stan Sakai

Usagi Yojimbo - Tengu War!

My love affair with one of my favourite comics, Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo series, continued this year with the latest volume, Tengu War! Containing several epic new stories, loaded with cool art and impressive world building, Tengu War! was another amazing volume that got a full five-star rating from me. I loved this new volume so much and I can’t wait to get my hands on Sakai’s next release, Crossroads, later this year.

Sierra Six by Mark Greaney

Sierra Six Cover

Bestselling thriller author, Mark Greaney, is having a great year in 2022, with both the upcoming film adaptation of his debut novel, The Gray Man, and two awesome books coming out. The first of these, Sierra Six, is one of his best, following iconic protagonist, Court Gentry, the infamous Gray Man, on another intense mission connected to one of his earliest assignments for the CIA. I had a brilliant time with this new Gray Man novel (the 11^th in the series), as it featured an impressive, split-time narrative with some great characters. Another impressive book from Greaney that is really worth reading.

Against All Gods by Miles Cameron

Against all Gods Cover

The always inventive Miles Cameron continues to shine brightly with a bold and compelling start to a new fantasy series with Against All Gods. Set in a bronze-age inspired setting, Against All Gods follows a group of mortals who attempt the impossible and declare war on their violent and selfish gods. With an addictive, over-the-top story, Against All Gods was a ton of fun, and it ended up being a truly amazing novel.

The German Wife by Kelly Rimmer

The German Wife Cover

Last year Australian author, Kelly Rimmer, produced a very impressive and extremely moving historical drama, The Warsaw Orphan, which really stuck with me. As such, I was very excited to receive her new book, The German Wife, which ended up being a truly incredible read. This fantastic novel follows two intriguing protagonists up to the 1950s as they traverse some of the worst parts of world history. With a particularly intense focus on the rise of Nazism in Germany and the subsequent recruitment of German rocket scientists by the Americans, The German Wife is a captivating read that contains powerful emotional hit after powerful emotional hit.

Amongst Our Weapons by Ben Aaronovitch

Amongst our Weapons Cover

One of the leading authors of urban fantasy fiction, Ben Aaronovitch, returned with another superb entry in his Rivers of London series. Featuring another exceptional fusion of a police procedural story with unique fantasy elements, Amongst our Weapons was a fantastic addition to the series. Slick, clever and constantly entertaining, Amongst our Weapons once again showed off Aaronovitch’s talent and is an outstanding book to check out.

Ghazghkull Thraka: Prophet of the Waaagh! By Nate Crowley

Ghazghkull Thraka - Prophet of the Waaagh! Cover

I have been having so much fun reading Warhammer fiction over the last few years, and 2022 has already produced some amazing reads. My favourite of this year so far had to be Nate Crowley’s outrageous and amusing Ghazghkull Thraka: Prophet of the Waaagh! Following the most iconic ork in the Warhammer canon, this was an excellent retelling of Ghazghkull Thraka’s life from a unique source. Filled with non-stop laughs, explosive action, and a real appreciation for the ork faction, this was a wildly appealing book that I had to feature here.

Death of the Black Widow by James Patterson and J. D. Barker

Death of the Black Widow Cover

The final novel I want to highlight is Death of the Black Widow, written by the superstar team of James Patterson and J. D. Barker. A crime thriller with an intriguing horror twist, Death of the Black Widow was a surprising hit for me, and I really was drawn into its terrific story. One of the more memorable and enjoyable books I have so far read this year, I had a lot of fun with Death of the Black Widow, and I deeply enjoyed its compelling tale of obsession, mystery and death.

I have already read some amazing and epic books so far in 2022 and we are only halfway through the year. I am pretty happy with how this list turned out, and it features some extraordinary reads that all come highly recommended. It will be interesting to see which of these books ends up being amongst my top reads of 2022, as there is some impressive competition coming out in the second half of the year, not to mention some outstanding current releases I need to check out. Still, all the novels above come very highly recommended, and you are guaranteed to have a wonderful time reading them. Let me know what your favourite releases for the first half of the year are in the comments below, as well as which of the above books you liked the most.

WWW Wednesday – 27 April 2022

On April 28, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday2 Comments

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading?

Death of the Black Widow by James Patterson and J. D. Barker (Trade Paperback)

Death of the Black Widow Cover

I just started reading Death of the Black Widow, a compelling and exciting thriller from the intriguing writing team of James Patterson and J. D. Barker. Death of the Black Widow follows a young police officer who becomes obsessed with a mysterious murderess and spends the rest of his life trying to hunt her down. I am about 60 pages into Death of the Black Widow at the moment and I am already hooked on its thrilling and captivating narrative.

The Hunger of the Gods by John Gwynne (Audiobook)

The Hunger of the Gods Cover

I am still going with this audiobook version of The Hunger of the Gods by John Gwynne which is proving to be extremely exceptional. The sequel to his highly regarded 2021 dark fantasy novel, The Shadow of the Gods, The Hunger of the Gods continues the brilliant storylines established in the first book while also introducing some fun new point-of-view characters. I am loving every single second of this great book and I cannot wait to see how everything comes together at the end. I have made some significant progress with this audiobook in the last week and I should hopefully finish it off in the next few days.